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NIGERIA’S IBRAHIM SAID IS BRAZIL 2019 FIRST HAT TRICK STAR!

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BY KUNLE SOLAJA.

Scoring a hat trick is an enviable feat in an international competition.  Sports Village Square recalls that in the annals of the FIFA U17 World Cup spanning 34 years, on 32 players ever performed that feat.

On Tuesday night, Nigeria’s Ibrahim Said has become the 33rd hat trickster of the competition and the first at the current tournament in Brazil.

His three goals against Ecuador propelled Nigeria to the Round of 16, even with a game to spare.

Sports Village Square can report that Said is threading a part some other great Nigerians have passed through.  Philip Osodu in 1987 became the first Nigeria to score a hat trick following his performance against Bolivia on July 14, 1987 in Canada.

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Ever since, there have been other Nigerians.  Nwankwo Kanu did score three goals against Canada in an 8-0 rout on August 22, 1993. Femi Opabunmi did the same against Australia in 2001 before that of Kelechi Iheanachor in 2013.

Victor Osimhen also in 2015 scored three goals against Australia in 2015.

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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